Plastic-munching caterpillars could save the planet - if they don't destroy it first, new research reveals

Could Mother Nature provide a solution to the world's plastic pollution catastrophe? Experts at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew believe that new, plastic-consuming organisms may soon be helping to break down the world's six billion tons of plastic waste. They are pinning their hopes on a strain of fungus discovered by scientists working on a rubbish dump outside Islamabad, Pakistan, last year. Aspergillus tubingensis produces a protein — an enzyme — that can actually break down even super-resilient plastics such as polyester polyurethane, fully digesting it within weeks. Read more...